More Than "Because I Said So" - Part 1

1 John 2:18-23
"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also."

Have you ever had one of those lightbulb moments where you've realized that you are indeed becoming one of your parents? Maybe you've said something to your kids that you specifically remember hearing as a kid, thinking to yourself that you'll never say that phrase when I am a parent. And there you are, using that statement - a full-fleged parent now. Irritated that it actually happened. I have.

One of those statements that I've used that I couldn't stand as a kid is the phrase "because I said so." That's usually in response to the question "why." And I realize now why that response is appropriate. Because usually that why question is either at an inopportune moment for me to make an explanation, or because my kids won't understand or don't need to know the full explanation. But believe me, anyone who has had a toddler knows about the why question.

John has just finished telling his readers that doing the will of God is far better than enjoying the things of this world. He's been telling them about being in the light, obeying Christs commands and knowing the truth. And here John, as the wise spiritual parent, anticipates the question and begins to explain the why portion. Remember, he's been calling his readers little children. John viewed the people in the churches that he ministered to as his spiritual children. And they were young in the faith too, making them literally spiritual children.

So anticipating the why, John begins his explanation for why all of this instruction, all of his admonishment, and all of this discipline is necessary. He goes far beyond telling them "because I said so." John lays the reason out there plainly.

He begins by telling them that we are living in the last hour. This is a phrase that refers to the end days leading up to the second coming of Christ. We know that those days will be full of sin and peril and all sorts of wickedness. We know that from various passages throughout the New Testament, including John's own Revelation, which wasn't written until after this letter. Paul uses similar language indicating that they were in the last days. There was a thought at that time that Jesus would be returning very soon. They believed that it was imminent. And here I sit nearly 2000 years later and He still hasn't returned. Were they wrong? Well, yes...and no.

It's my belief that we are indeed in the last days. But not necessarily by the definition that most people use. Think about the history of the world as we know it from the Bible. Some scholars believe that there has been somewhere around 4500 years of history between when Elohim spoke and this world was born and the time of John's writing. By any definition (except that of an evolutionist) that's a long time. All of that time was under the old covenant whereby salvation was based on the law, and keeping law, and doing things to satisfy the wrath of a righteous God. And God was not a personal God. And then came Jesus and the tables were turned (both figuratively and literally). Jesus gave us the promise of life with Him in heaven as well as a promise that He would return to collect those who are called by His name. So we are in the second of two phases of world history. We are just waiting on His return. So to me, we are indeed in the last days because His return signals the end. Now, we obviously have no idea when that return will be, but we do know it will happen.

Now, when you use launguage like "it is the last hour" you are conveying a certain sense of urgency. Hmm. It's at this point that I have to ask myself what kind of urgency I am living my life with. Am I living an intentional life knowing full well that Jesus' return is imminent? I have been studying in my Masterlife study about wittnessing to the world. So these two things are very related. Am I looking at the lost people around me with the urgency that Christ's return is imminent and their salvation needs to be secure? Do I have any sense of urgency that everyone needs a saving relationship with the Lord so that none will perish eternally? Do I have that kind of vision? My mind may want to answer one way, but my actions, or a lack of them, probably give evidence to the contrary.

There's a saying that the greatest sermon is the one that's never preached. Meaning that our lives ought to be enough of a testimony to bring anyone around us to repentance. It's called lifestyle evangelism to many. But there's another school of thought. I can't use words as a last resort. Yes, my life should bear witness to my relationship with Christ, but I've got to tell those around me.

Lord, help me to be intentional about telling others about you. Give me a sense of urgency as the days draw near. You are returning and you will judge both the living and the dead. And no one will want to be judged and found lacking. Father fill me with your Spirit, giving me boldness rather than timidity. And give me your vision as I am in the end days.

Birthday Thoughts For The Coming Year

1 John 2:15-17
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."

As I sit here on my birthday I find myself examining my life - where Christ has taken me over hte past 12 months, what He has done in my life, how He has changed my heart, and what He has taught me about Himself. And as I do that, this passage is amazingly poignant.

It's been more than a month since I have studied 1 John. I began a Masterlife study and most of my quite time and bible study time has been devoted to Masterlife. But as I ignore that study this evening, God brought me back to 1 John. And now I see why.

My purpose in life is not for me to be content, comfortable or happy. It is not to become knowledgable, successful or wise. It is absolutely to reflect God's glory as I share His love and truth to the world in which I live. Last night I had the pleasure of sitting in Halftime as Canyon taught in Aaron's absence. Shockingly, Canyon taught about evangelism [sarcasm intended]. But he made a point last night that makes all the sense in the world. He said that the main reason that people do not share the gospel with those they come in contact with is because they are more afraid of men than they are of a holy God. It's a simple statement that isn't all that new or revolutionary, but it's incredibly true.

You know, as mortal sinful men, it's easy to want to be comfortable. But in this passage John reminds me that I am not to love this world or anything in it. Thinking back to Masterlife, one of the verses we study in it is John 13:34-35 which says "A new command I give to you: love one another. As I have loved you so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another." If I look real hard I can see that Jesus didn't tell me to love the things of the world. Again, heavy sarcasm intended. Yet despite that command, I find myself absentmindedly desiring or enjoying the things of this world. Curse this sinful shell of a mortal man that I am saddled with. For when I find myself with that focus, I must realize that the love of the Father is not in me.

But why is that? Why can't Christ's love be present in my heart and life, when my focus is on the world? Because His command is for me to love as He loved. In fact, Jesus tells me that the greatest commandment is to love Him with all of my heart, soul and strength (Matt 22:37). Anything less than that leaves no room for Him. He also commands me to love others as He loved. The way I love as He loved is for me to share the gospel with those who need it. Jesus said Himself that He came into the world to seek and to save that which is lost. If I am to love as He loves, then shouldn't I be doing the same?

I could go on and on with this subject. And the more I go on and on I am convicted. Conviction isn't all that fun. But as I look at where I would like the Lord to take me in the year ahead of me, I look at verse 17 and the promise therein. "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." That's my prayer for the next year. I want to be that man. In whatever happens to me, I want it to be said of me that I am a man doing the will of God. Let there be no doubt.

Awesome Lord, I am nothing but a mortal man, born into sin, mortal in every way. But you are God alone, high above all, holy in every way. And through the cross and the redemptive work upon it I have been reconciled to you and find myself justified by faith. Who am I? I am a child who has been called by his Father, and given a purpose that I may carry out your mission to love this world and share your gospel with it. Father change my focus. Let me not love this world and the things in it, but instead let me love doing your will. Give me a heart that is fully devoted to you and your service. Let me be more afraid of a holy God than I could ever be of anyone or anything in this world. Lord as I commit this moment to you, and Lord willing, this entire year, I pray that I will be found as a faithful man doing the will of God.